Hey there techies! This is my first time writing an article on the hash node platform, so I decided to share some basic technology-related knowledge that may be useful for any new techie out there. This article is also part of the #2articles 1week challenge!
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Have you ever noticed the difference between writing code and actually implementing it in real life?
Try answering this question - Are you a coder or a programmer? The answer would probably be "I think both" or "what the difference?" So in this post, I would like to clear the confusion between the two popular buzz words Coding and Programming and how they work collaboratively to develop an application.
What is Coding?
Coding is basically the initial step every programmer takes. It is the fundamental concept of translating human language to machine-based language, we can also describe coding as the subset of programming. In coding, we write code using languages such as C, C++, Java, Python, and so on to instruct the computer to make it execute the program you want. Coding is simply writing code to create a software program.
Coding is always a good start to learn to program. If you learn how to code efficiently you have already reached your basic step of programming.
Rules to be followed while writing code:
The very first rule you must follow to be a coder is Syntax. You cannot be a good coder without knowing coding languages and their syntax. Different programming languages follow different rules and syntax. When you opt for a language to code you have to also work on how that language works and its syntax as well.
The second point is you must have a Compiler for converting the code into machine code. In general, the computer cannot understand the language which you have written, the logic which you have written in code language must be converted into machine language or binary language that the computer can understand and return the output.
The third important thing is the Execution of the code and returning the results. The code which you have written must be executed to see the results or output or errors if there are any.
Coding involves writing code for a software program. Any program such as website, game, or application. So now let's have look at the detailed explanation of programming.
What is Programming?
Programming is the process of developing an executable software program that is implemented without any errors. It is the programmer’s job to analyze a problem in the code and provide solutions. To come up with an application, you will need to carry out a few steps including:
Planning
Designing
Testing
Deploying
Maintaining
So, programming deals with not only coding but also analysis and implementing algorithms, understanding data structures, and mitigating issues. Altogether, the whole process is called programming.
A pseudocode is a good approach for explaining the algorithm to the coder. Coding is an essential part of programming, but a programmer requires a lot more knowledge, experience, and additional skills than coding.
A programmer creates complex programs, reads, and executes them by the machine providing a set of instructions for the system to perform. It takes years to become a professional programmer. If you can build a program and ensure that it doesn’t have errors, you can consider yourself that you have leveled up in your career as a successful programmer.
How coding and programming work together
By now you probably have an understanding of the differences between the two terms. Now, how do coding and programming work together to accomplish various tasks?
Let's explain this using an example to get a better understanding of the two terms. Imagine we are creating an app to monitor something like our daily routine. How will these two fields work together in creating such an application?
The very first step is taken by the programmer:
Plan the structure of the app,
Write down features of the app
Design the app
Any other features that should be included in the app.
After the programmer is done with these first steps, they hand it over to the coder.
Now the coder will transform those ideas into code then converted them to binary language that the computer can understand. After this process, the complete code is given to the programmer. Now the programmer will go through the code and polish it by debugging, checking for errors, and performing tests before producing the final product.
So, In this way coding and programming are made to work together to produce the final application.
Conclusion
In this wide field of computer science, it all depends on which area you would like to work and explore. So enjoy your journey as you find your path.
It took me a while to figure it out - How long did you take to find your way? Let me know in the comments if you have figured out your path.
Happy Learning🖤!!